The Heroes
by Valzen
Summary: Hermione's career choice was unexpected, yet satisfactory to those around her. And yet, Severus could not help but acknowledge that she had failed at achieving her one and only goal.


The Heroes:

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!

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Severus Snape sighed as he carefully closed the book. This book, which now sat on his coffee table, proved that which he had never considered possible; Hermione Granger had failed.

Since the first time Hermione Granger had sat in his classroom, waving her arm in a display of eagerness, he knew that he would not be rid of her simply by her graduation. His first thought was that she would be an annoyance, flittering around Hogwarts as a professor, regurgitating information and the work of others. This thought had caused him to despise the little girl who he believed would end up in the position he was trying to rid himself of. Severus Snape wanted nothing more than to be rid of Hogwarts. He wanted to disappear; go far away and be left to his research. However, his initial assessment of Hermione Granger changed as the years passed. She had proved herself, as she not only received top grades but kept her two dunderhead friends alive. Begrudgingly, he would admit that she was more than an encyclopedia, existing to tell the world about the work of others.

Hermione Granger had not been able to choose a field for further study after her graduation. Severus had known this due to the great disappointment his colleagues had suffered. For months Minerva had spoken little else to the sour Potion Master who had been forced to continue his work at Hogwarts or be shipped of to Azkaban. For months Hermione had spoken very little about what she was up to even as she was being grilled by various Order members. With the Dark Lord gone the conversation of said meetings tended to lean towards how each person was moving forward in life. And Hermione Granger proved to be a mystery to them all.

The answer to their questions about the activities of Miss Granger came when she published her first book. Hermione was an author, and that definition satisfied those interested in her future. However, Severus Snape was not interested in her future and the surfacing of her book only created more questions. More questions and a little bit of overwhelming relief that it was not the story of Potter's life.

Severus Snape, as her Professor, had endured Hermione's studious ambitions. He had graded her papers that had delved deeply into the assigned topics and then some. He had commented on her own theories which she had seamlessly displayed beside the research of accomplished potion practitioners. He had repeatedly watched as she quenched her thirst for knowledge until she was kicked out of the library at closing time. He had even caught her after hours in the library multiple times over the years. Therefore he was astonished, angry and disappointed as he read the opening of her book.

_For those searching for knowledge and to those who believe they can change the world, I welcome you into my mind. This book is filled with the base exploration of theories which have interested me and which I have studied. When I cherish these ideas and consider them a part of who I am, I gift them to you and the rest of the world. I challenge you, as I have always felt the pull of academic challenge. I challenge you to take my research and run with your own ideas. What you take from this book is yours; use it._

_ Hermione J. Granger_

Hermione had published a book of all of the theories she had explored and expanded on. No one could argue that it was not the most complete and academically solid work available in the Wizarding World. Even when each theory she discussed only lasted a chapter, they were on the path to becoming revolutionary. This fueled the anger Severus had developed when he had read her opening. She truly was a fool. For the life of him, Severus Snape could not understand why Hermione Granger handed off her work so easily. Knowing her in the intellectual manner that he had, the Potion Master was sure that she could easily spend the rest of her life exploring and expanding her work. She could rise as one of the most brilliant minds recorded as she revolutionized each of her theories. Instead she left the completion of her work to fools that would never reach the height or explore the depth that she easily could have. The laziness in her actions was simply unlike her. And to gift her work was absolutely foolish! To gift research in the Wizarding world meant she no longer had any claim over said work. If her research led to breakthroughs, which it would, she would get nothing. Her rash Gryffindor tendencies angered him to no end.

When her next book came out merely months after her first disaster, he was relieved. The girl had not been as foolish as he had believed. The theories of her other book had only been the start of her collective works, the shallowest of her theories. Hermione's second book and the three to follow, were each deep analyses of singular theories she explored in great detail. The fact that her first publication gained her a name for herself before her serious works were made published was a Slytherin quality that was not lost on the Head of House.

For years Severus Snape followed the works of Hermione Granger but did not once talk to her. She had done what she had always thrived to do; she had proven that she not only belonged to the world of magic but that she was improving it. Her books were released quickly, although the speed at which they were published in no way reflected poorly on their composition.

The dreaded volume did not come until her eighth book, the book which told of the

adventures of the Golden Trio. The book which he had just finished – her failure.

The opening, a trademark of all of her publications, had been the only part of the book which focused on her.

_I do not believe I have ever truly agreed with some of the actions taken by Harry, Ron and I. Over the time elapsed since the defeat of Voldemort, I have heard an array of opinions on some of the less moral decisions we had made. Some people have excused our actions out of necessity. Others which I will admit tend to be those who had not fought in the war, say that we were no better than the death eaters themselves. Neither of these opinions appeal to me. I do not regret anything that I have done in my life, which in itself I think must be a blessing. However, looking back as an adult who has lived through these experiences I do see other courses of actions that I easily would have preferred. _

_While I do not regret the past, I in no way seek to encourage similar actions. We were children burdened with responsibilities that we did not always fully comprehend. I wish to tell the true story of what happened during the Second War. The story that has never fully been told. The story which Harry can not bring himself to tell and Ron is not here to tell. This book is also the confession of illegal acts which years ago we had been broadly pardoned for. This is the first time that the true extent of what the Golden Trio has actually done will be revealed. _

_I have blood on my hands. This is a confession that, while expected, I have never confirmed or denied. I never believed myself capable of taking another life. However, I suppose I am only a name on a long list, a list of people who had shared that belief and had walked away from the war with blood on their hands. I wish I could say that I regret killing the people that had died by my hand but I do not, if only because I can see possible outcomes that are far worse. But maybe that idea will be better explored as I share our third year with you. _

_I hope that the retelling of our story may help bring the after effects of the war to a conclusion. I know that I am not alone in harboring the belief that it is time for the world to truly moves on from our dark past. This book is my method of moving on and my final loving acknowledgment to those who died to make the better future I am about to embrace possible._

Severus would admit with some trouble that her writing style was beautiful and captivating. He could acknowledge the truth of the retelling and would praise the fact she did not make attempts to glorify any party. Hermione did not leave anything out. Everything was included; each time they broke the rules, each near death experience, each fault in their thinking. The errors of the golden trio were clearly displayed beside their triumphs. In general, the book was a wonderful retelling and it dominated the best selling list. The world was shocked by secrets that they could never imagine, starting with the surprise that Harry Potter was offered a place in Slytherin. It would be decades before a person that was detached enough would see everything that the Potion Professor could see as he read the book.

Severus Snape spent his life living in the undertones. Everything he did, subconsciously and consciously, gathered information. He would admit to not knowing everything that was released in the book, but he had known the grand scheme of things. Further than that, he had known the people involved in the events of the book, making nothing in the retelling a complete shock. Which made his strongest observation even easier to spot. Hermione Granger, whether purposely or not, had tried not to take credit for what she had done. By no means did she lie, she simply didn't put as much effort into explaining the effects of her actions compared to those of her companions.

Severus had not been happy when his logic puzzle seemed to be nothing more than a common mind teaser. The tone of the book when she told of brewing Polyjuice Potion in her second year made it sound completely normal. The list went on, but the over lying problem was for all the times Hermione saved Potter's life, the book never acknowledged the impact of Potter dying at the moment would have had. For all of Hermione's blunt behavior over the years, her impact on the war had been subtle and important by what they prevented.

To Severus, she had failed the second he finished the book. Hermione had failed to quietly downplay her role in the war. For now, in the bigger picture she succeeded. However, years from now, when the text was examined and read multiple times by scholars, when the book became common place in History of Magic classes, her defeat would come. In years all her subtlety would be revealed and the opposite will occur. Hermione Granger would cease to be a sidekick and would become an arguable figure as to why they won the war.

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A/N: I just wanted to give a huge thanks to RavenclawGenius who spent her valuable time editing this! I will admit that this was a mess before she got her hands on it and I wasn't even sure if it should be posted. One more thanks to her!


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